Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez has lastly gained a race on a Ducati, greater than half a season since deserting Honda mid-contract and heading to satellite tv for pc group Gresini.
However, together with his first win coming not in the principle occasion however in Saturday’s dash, there’s very a lot a way of unfinished enterprise emanating from him as Marquez tries to maintain calm forward of Sunday’s second outing of the Aragon Grand Prix weekend.
That’s as a result of, somewhat than easing the strain on him to lastly return to the highest step of the rostrum for the primary time in virtually three years, Saturday’s success has had the other impact, piling on the strain.
In fact, strain ought to come as nothing new for Marquez, particularly on the Motorland Aragon circuit solely 100 miles from his hometown of Cervera. One of many championship’s anti-clockwise circuits, it has, like others that run left as a substitute of proper, been someplace the place Marquez has dominated up to now – and a observe the place he was anticipated to win at this season.
But that expectation additionally held for the Circuit of the Americas and the Sachsenring, and on each events he got here up quick.
Nonetheless, whereas varied weekend circumstances may need labored towards him in America and Germany, he has been significantly extra lucky at Aragon to this point, with the newly-repaved observe offering the kind of slippery, greasy floor that performs proper into the palms of Marquez’s talent honed via years of flat-track coaching.
He spent the Friday downplaying his probabilities, although, adamant (not less than publicly) that title contenders Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin would shut the hole to him on Saturday – one thing supported by all obtainable proof proper up till heavy rain blew in after observe.
Dumping mud and sand on the desert circuit and washing away rubber laid down on Friday, it meant that Saturday morning was much more treacherous than 24 hours beforehand, one thing that Marquez capitalised on to take pole place by the most important margin since 2019.
He then weathered a lock-up at Flip 1 and a mistake at Flip 12 on the opening lap, discovering his groove and pulling away with ease to reach first on the chequered flag after 11 laps of the dash.
“I loved extra the second locations within the sprints than the victory,” he admitted when requested by The Race what the feelings have been after the win.
“I really feel the strain. I really feel like tomorrow I’ve an enormous alternative to complete my job, to complete my good weekend within the excellent approach.
“I’m tremendous joyful, however on the identical time I’m tremendous targeted to attempt to proceed on the identical degree tomorrow.”
Nonetheless, there stays warning in his evaluation of his probabilities for Sunday – although he sounds extra assured now than he maybe did on Friday about seeing off Bagnaia and Martin.
“I do know and I predict,” he added, “that with higher circumstances on the race observe, Pecco and Martin will likely be nearer and it is going to be tougher.”
On the identical time, each Bagnaia and Martin sound significantly much less certain about their probabilities of making it a combat on Sunday.
“He is doing four-five levels extra [of lean angle] than me in some corners, with out shedding the entrance,” Bagnaia informed MotoGP.com. “He is the one one capable of do it.
“It is one thing very obscure as a result of it is simply him that is doing it, no different Ducati rider.
“However we already know what Marc can do. For tomorrow we’ll attempt a step.”
“I by no means thought that victory was doable at this time. I knew that Marc was a bit higher,” admitted Martin.
“Perhaps tomorrow with the medium [rear] I may even… shut the hole to Marc.”
Martin mentioned Marquez gave the impression to be feeling the damage of the entrance tyre a lot much less, and making a “large distinction” via the second a part of the ‘reverse Corkscrew’ and the left-hander proper after it, in addition to the ultimate nook.
“For the second he is the strongest, he is the favorite.
“I’ll attempt to do my greatest and if it is second or third or fourth, it is okay.”
